The Big Ten: The First Ten Books of the Beginnings Series

by Jacqueline Druga

  ***

  The orange-amber fire lit enough for Moses to see what Robbie stared so intently at. Dropping down next to Robbie by the fire, he took the picture from Robbie’s hand. “Your brother.”

  “Frank.”

  Moses stared at the picture. A pose probably seldom see of Frank, one where he was smiling. “You look at pictures of your family a lot. I noticed.”

  “Yeah, but that’s all I have. That and memories.” Robbie retrieved the picture of Frank.

  “This cool down time you wanna have. Is it because you’re having second thoughts of this plan?”

  “Nope,” Robbie said with certainty. “Not at all. We need to slip a little from their minds so they can slip into a sloppy confidence. It has nothing to do with my family. Guaranteed. Because they made it abundantly clear to me . . . they aren’t my family anymore.” Staring once more to Frank’s photo, Robbie peacefully tore it in half and tossed it into the fire.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  June 20th

  Frank had awoken a little earlier than usual to begin his shift. He wanted to get a head start on the day. He still wasn’t quite secure in the fact that all was fine concerning Robbie and the men he had joined. Even though Frank got up twice each night to get a check from every man who had a post, he still wanted to be sure. Starting the day earlier helped to ease his mind.

  It was an important day to him. The day Ellen was supposed to tell Dean. How much had to be on Frank’s mind, how tired did he actually have to be to not even enjoy the thought of the gloating he would get to do.

  Grabbing his tee shirt, Frank placed it on, tucking it in his pants. He then took his shoulder harness from the headboard and secured it to himself. Reaching down to the night stand for his revolver, he stopped for his radio to do his morning check. He picked it up. “Frank here. Radio check.” He placed it back on the night stand, retrieved his gun, checked the chamber and placed it in its holster.

  The sound of someone blowing then tapping over the radio was the response to Frank. “Hello?” The unknown male voice sang out. “Hello?”

  Frank turned his head sharply to the radio, zeroing in on it.

  “Hello?” He tapped and blew again. “Frank? It’s about damn time you checked this thing this morning. We’ve been waiting to hit your frequency.”

  Frank’s nostrils flared, that unknown voice was not one of his men. He breathed heavily as he snatched up the radio from the night stand. “Who is this?” He demanded.

  “Do you care?” He started to laugh. “Oh I can’t be like that. Hey Frank, it’s me Moses. How the hell are you? Long time no talk to. Did ya forget about us?”

  “Make your point. I’m changing frequencies in five seconds.” Frank was annoyed. Not only did they come too close to the community, but they had radio capabilities. He began to walk from his bedroom.

  “All right, all right I’ll get to the point.” Moses took an agitating tone. “Anyway, we were just wondering if you were missing anything this morning. Seems, besides this radio, we came in last night and borrowed something very important to certain people in your community. Anyone not show up at the breakfast table?”

  A frightening rage overcame Frank. His heart pounded as he opened his bedroom door, he had to stop dead in his tracks. “El.”

  “I know, I know you’re thinking they didn’t come in. Wanna bet?” Moses taunted.

  Frank ignored him, he raced from his bedroom and pounded on Johnny’s door. “John!” He flung it open. “Get up, get dressed, get Pap. We have trouble. Now!” Frank left a bewildered Johnny behind as he charged down his steps.

  “Frank are you listening . . .” Moses teased more. “Got a poem for you.”

  Frank flew out on to the sidewalk from his home. He caught his bearings. He had to go to Ellen’s. He had to check her. Fearful of what he’d find, he ran as fast as he could, praying all the way.

  “Here’s this poem, you’ll like it. Twas the night of the ambush and all through the town. Not a person was stirring, there wasn’t a sound. Mother and children all nestled in bed. Never knowing the danger that lurked over their heads. Pretty good huh? Wrote it myself.”

  Frank arrived at Ellen’s house. He could see the first floor lights were on. A good sign. She or Dean were awake. Without knocking, without thinking, Frank burst through the door.

  “Frank!” Dean walked from the dining room. “What the hell . . .”

  “Where’s El and the twins, are they sleeping?” Frank words were heavy and breathless. He had to get himself under control. He moved to the steps.

  “Of course their sleeping.” Dean walked to him, blocking him from his destination. “What is wrong with you? You can’t come in . . .”

  “Did you check them?”

  “What?”

  “Did you fuckin see them this morning!?” Frank shouted.

  “No, I was going up . . .”

  Moses’ voice needled again. “We have something you want, and you can’t have it. Our rules now, Frank. Figure it out yet?”

  Dean’s heart dropped as soon as he heard that. “Frank, what’s going on?”

  “Come on, Dean.” Frank ran up the steps. “You check the twins. I’ll check Ellen.”

  Dean followed. He should have known by the look on Frank’s face something was wrong. Not knowing why he was checking, he frightfully opened the door.

  Frank was scared also. He hesitated for a second, then opened the bedroom door. He flung on the light. Ellen was in bed. “El!”

  She sat straight up and blocked the brightness. “What’s going on?”

  “Get dressed and come downstairs. Stay close to Dean.” He left the room, Dean was in the hall. “She’s in there, she’s fine.”

  “The twins are too. Frank, what’s happening?”

  “I don’t know.” Frank ran down the stairs yelling as he was leaving the house. “Don’t let them out of your sight! I mean it.” He slammed the door, and ran out into the street. They did it. Robbie and his men, did something, but what? Frank, though relieved that Ellen and the twins were fine, had a deep sickening feeling in his stomach. Moses was implying he took someone. Who?

  The streets were quiet. They wouldn’t be for long. Frank had to know. As frightening as it was, he had to know. He grabbed his radio and called to the tower guard. “This is Frank. Hit the horn. Now. I repeat, hit the ‘all-in’ horn now!” Frank ran down the street toward town. The flag pole which sat dead center of the community was where he had to be. It was where everyone had to be shortly.

  Andrea and Miguel sat in a cozy position on their couch. While other people placed their children to bed and settled with each other for the evening, Andrea and Miguel had their mornings. They did the same thing every day. Waking up early to enjoy quality time with each other without the interruption of a six year old and a thirteen year old. Denny fought with Katie as if he too were only six.

  They sat back, sipping their warm beverages. It wouldn’t be long before they had to awaken their children, so they savored every single moment alone. Their quiet, peacefulness was soon interrupted by a sound they had only heard one time before, and that was on a drill. The sound of triple blaring sirens, screeching out like a bomb alert, jolted them from their comfort.

  “Miguel?” Andrea grabbed her chest. Her heart raced. “Is that for real?”

  “Let’s assume it is.” He placed down his mug. “With all that’s been going on we can’t be sure. Let’s get the kids and head to the pole.”

  Frank stood alone as the sirens were deafening around him. Where was everyone? What was taking them so long? He could see his father and Johnny making their way to him. Relieved, Frank walked to them

  “Frank!” His father, still in disarray from the sudden awakening, charged to him. “What the hell is going on?”

  Frank held up his radio, grasping it tightly with his hand. He became distraught with anger and frustration. “They have radios now.”

  “Who?”

  “Robbie, Mos
es. They have our radios. They got in here last night.”

  “Impossible!” Joe insisted. “We would know.”

  “No, they got in.” Frank shouted as he looked over his head at the people gathering. “Help me, Dad. Help me find who is missing.” He tried to get past his father, but Joe stopped him.

  “No one is missing, Frank. They’re taunting us. Playing mind games.”

  “No! I feel it.” Frank pointed to his own chest hard. “I feel it. I warned you about this. I warned you. I know someone’s gone.” He stormed past his father checking all faces. Trying to put names, and people together. “Are you gonna help me?”

  “Fine.” Joe raised his hands to the silent group, as he did, a scream, Andrea’s scream was heard in the distance. It grew closer.

  “No!” she cried out hysterically running as fast as she could to the flag pole. “No!” Tears streamed down her face as she raced to town carrying a small piece of wood. She slammed it into Frank’s chest as she ran past him to Joe. She grabbed hold of Joe’s shirt and began to shake him. “They’re gone, they’re gone.” She began to pound her fist against his chest crying. “How did this happen you son of a bitch? How did you let this happen?”

  Joe reached for her fists, blocking them. “Andrea, I’m sorry.”

  “You said we were safe. You said we were protected.” She screamed with emotion and anger at him. Miguel came up from behind her and wrapped his huge arms around her, dragging her away.

  Andrea kicked, screamed and fought him.

  “Please.” Miguel held her tighter. “It’s not his fault. It’s no one’s fault. We’ll get them back. I promise. They’re all right.”

  Frank wanted to scream. The anger felt from the depth of his soul was out of control. The crying, the screaming. And Andrea wasn’t the only one. Denny was gone, Katie was gone. How many others were too? The noise level and confusion encircling him was a bad dream. It engulfed him. It was a nightmare he could not awaken from. He didn’t know where to turn, he didn’t know what to do first. He clenched tightly to the four inch piece of wood that Andrea slammed him with. He clasped it so tight, a splinter dug into his hand. He lifted it to look at it. The edge of the wood indented into his huge palm. As a trickle of blood ran down his hand, his eyes gazed upon the words burned into its surface. The words that Andrea had read. The words that ignited a hatred and rage within him. The etched-in-wood message that meant more than the mere three words printed there . . . Bye-Bye Mommy!

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  “I can’t figure out where they broke in.” Frank walked with Joe both from the back gate. “My men were at their posts last night. Right now, we’re combing the hard to get into areas. They know we don’t have the manpower to cover those obvious sites, so I think they went to them. Possibly digging in from under. We’re looking right now for maybe a tunnel, or hole or something. I’m baffled.”

  “You may be right.” Joe slowed down his pace. “Frank, I’m sorry. I should have listened to you.”

  “Dad, look, what’s done is done. We have to think about those kids, and the other kids in this community. I have El preparing containment like you said. We’ll get all the kids in there. Then at least we’ll know they’re safe. The others . . . we’ll get them back. We’ll find a way.” Frank stopped, they had reached the point where he and Joe would go separate ways.

  “Yes . . .we will. Right now, we have to wait and hear from them. I’m heading back to my office and man the radio there. I’ll talk to Henry, get him to check the mechanical options. Did they down a perimeter? Did they shut down power somehow?”

  “What do you need from me?”

  “You work on your job, our security force. Use every man in here if we have to. But let’s make sure that they have shifts. The last thing we need is a bunch of exhausted men. Like you.”

  “Nah, I’m fine.” Frank stepped back. “I’ll start the new draft now.”

  With a peaceful smile Joe gave a firm squeeze to Frank’s arm. “We’re gonna work on a way to bring these sons of bitches down without losing any of our own men.” Solemn, Joe’s hand slid from Frank and he walked slowly, almost slouched toward his office. He had to come up with a way out of the mess and confusion the community was in. Joe prided himself in the fact that the community was safe. That pride was trampled on. Joe did not take blows very lightly, and the community had suffered a major blow. The safety walls had been violated. The time had come to strike back, the only problem was, they couldn’t. Striking back meant risking the lives if the innocents that Robbie had stolen in the night. That, was a risk, Beginnings could not take.

  ***

  Robbie excitedly stood behind Moses, hands on his shoulders, shaking him. “We did it. Yes.”

  “Should I call back now?” Moses grabbed the radio.

  “No.” Robbie took it from him. “The kids will wake up soon. I don’t want my dad or anyone to hear them in the back ground. We hit the next phase of the plan before we contact them by radio.”

  “What exactly is that phase, Robert? You failed to tell me that.” Moses turned around in his seat.

  “We go back and get our guaranteed admittance.”

  “That’s what I thought the kids were. I thought by taking them hostage, they’d negotiate, let us in.”

  “Nope.” Robbie was proud of himself. “We need more. And tonight . . .”

  “Whoa! Dumb, dumb, dumb.” Moses interrupted. “Tonight? They’ll kill us if they see us. Besides, security will be doubled.”

  “True. But that aren’t gonna chance hurting us, for fear we’ll hurt the kids. We have to finish this phase of the plan. My person inside knows, and is waiting. Tonight’s the night we take from them, something, or rather someone very vital, our trump card.” Robbie said snide and so sure of himself.

  “Who are you taking? Is it your dad? That big guy? Who?”

  Robbie shook his head arrogantly. “Nope. Much better. There is only one person in that whole community who is absolutely vital to their survival. He cures them, heals them, invents for them. They would die as quickly as we do without him. And the best part is, he’ll be so easy to get. Tonight their future is ours because we’ll have . . . Dean Hayes.”

  ***

  With the shock of the situation beginning to set in, the hysterical crying ceasing, Andrea sat comforted on the couch between Dean and Ellen in their living room. She rocked back and forth, holding tightly to a handkerchief in one hand, her arms folded tightly to her. She tried to control her breathing but hyperventilation fell upon her every time she tried to speak. “Where’s Miguel, I need him.”

  Dean ran his hand across her back. “Soon Andrea, soon. He’s carrying things to containment, and helping secure it.”

  “I don’t understand. Why wasn’t this done before?” Andrea asked. “Why did it take the children to be taken for action to be done?”

  As Ellen began to answer her, a knock was at their door. “Dean. Can you?”

  Dean stood up and walked to his door. When he opened it, Frank stood there and he didn’t look good. “Frank, Ellen’s fine, if that’s what you need.”

  “Can I come in? I need to speak to her.”

  Dean hesitant, opened the door wider for him to step in. He motioned his hand to the living room.

  When Frank entered he saw Andrea and was far from ready to face her. But there she was. She turned around from the couch, and stood upon his entrance.

  Andrea moved slowly to Frank, her face cold, Ellen followed closely behind her. She stopped in front of him and stared long and silent. Then without warning, she reached back her hand and slapped him hard across the face. “You are responsible for this! You set up the security. You were supposed to stop them from coming in. I blame you. If anything happens to my children, I will never forgive you. If you would have known what you were doing, none of this would have happened.”

  Frank lowered his head and lifted his eyes. “I’m sorry.” He turned and walked from the house.

  E
llen’s heart instantly broke for Frank and she raced out of her house after him. “Frank!” She called to him as he kept walking toward town. “Frank wait.”

  Frank stopped and turned around. “El, please. I don’t want to hear it.”

  “What?” She approached him out of breath, when she did, he turned his back to her. “Frank it’s me. Why would you hear it from me? She’s just letting it out on you. She doesn’t really blame you.”

  “But I blame myself. I feel helpless, and useless.”

  “You can’t. I’m so proud of you Frank. You have to know that. What you do here makes me proud.”

  Frank exhaled quickly. His eyes were glossy as he looked up at the sky. He couldn’t look at Ellen. He knew if he did, his emotions would give way. “I tried, El.”

  “I know you did.” She ran her hand across his face. “I’m here for you.”

  Frank grabbed her and tightly pulled her to him. He held onto Ellen only briefly and then he stepped back. “I gotta go.” He griped her hand and gave a quick squeeze. “Gotta go.” Getting a grip on the feelings that lashed at him. Frank turned and moved on.

  ***

  Henry opened the door to Joe’s office and walked in. His heart broke for Joe who sat looking so distraught as he stared at a silent radio. “Anything Joe?”

  “Nothing.” Joe shook his head. “George is with Andrea and the other care takers trying to reassure them. How can he do that, Henry? We’ve got nothing to tell them.”

  “I don’t think they meant to take Denny.” He neared the desk.

  “What do you mean? What did you find?”

  “I’ve been piecing this thing together. For the past few hours I’ve been to the homes of these children. They all had the same evidence.” Henry threw down four cloths. “Whoever did this knew what they were doing. They knew exactly how much ether to place in the rag so they didn’t overdose these kids. They’re smart, Joe. They knew to go to the town hospital to find the ether, and the vet hospital to find tranquilizers if they ran into trouble.”